Fernando Torres will be fit to lead the Liverpool attack in the Merseyside derby at Anfield on Sunday, having survived another brush with Marco Materazzi, the former Everton defender.

Five weeks after being sent off for two fouls on Torres while playing for Inter Milan at Anfield in the Champions League, Materazzi was guilty of an ugly challenge on the Liverpool forward during Italy’s 1-0 friendly defeat by Spain in Elche on Wednesday. Torres required treatment on his right ankle, which had been bruised before the game, but, despite leaving the pitch soon after half-time, the 24-year-old, who has been in rich form of late, has been declared fit to play against Everton.

This weekend’s fixture is one of the most eagerly awaited Merseyside derby matches in recent times, with the clubs involved in what appears to be a two-way battle for the fourth English place in next season’s Champions League. Everton, having led for much of the season, are two points behind their rivals and have an inferior goal difference, but Álvaro Arbeloa, the Liverpool defender, has said that whoever wins on Sunday will be “strong favourites” to finish fourth.

Everton have lost a little momentum in recent weeks and David Moyes, the manager, was given more bad news yesterday when it was confirmed that Tim Cahill is likely to miss the remainder of the season. The Australia midfield player, who has scored ten goals in 28 appearances for Everton this season, suffered a recurrence of his troublesome metatarsal injury during the 1-1 draw with West Ham United last Saturday.

Cahill’s Australia team-mate, Harry Kewell, may have made his last appearance for Liverpool, having picked up a groin injury while training before his country’s World Cup qualifying match away to China. He was struggling to persuade Rafael Benítez to extend his contract, which expires in June, and, having not figured in Liverpool’s past eight matches, his prospects appear bleaker than ever.

The FA has given Javier Mascherano, the Liverpool midfield player, until 6pm today to respond to a charge of improper conduct after he was shown a red card against Manchester United at Old Trafford last Sunday.